Digging the dirt

 A while ago I popped 3 soft supermarket potatoes in a empty tub, this week I dug out enough for 3 meals for us, I found five tiny potatoes which I have popped back into the pot added homemade compost, I will let you know if they grow. In this second bag is just one potato which wanted to grow elsewhere it has survived me moving it.

Both raised veg beds are full, one with mixed brassicas at the back and onions down the sides and carrots in the middle. The second bed has broad beans at the front, not showing through yet, I have mulched this end of the bed with my homemade leaf mulch, in the back section are leeks.

I am happy with this shelf in my greenhouse, most of these plants are from splitting or cuttings, the Geranium Sanne with tiny white flowers I removed from my butlers sink, I split it earlier this year, so I was surprised to get 5 more root sections, I would love them along the front of my side flower bed. I also have tiny violet cuttings in hope they can be placed under our red Acer.

 I popped my fushia with the bigger pink flowers in my butlers sink, I have cut the bottom off a pot and raised it, should give the plant enough root space, I have a lovely ground cover plant to pop infront of the pot. The second fushia with tiny white blooms I will cut back in the spring, I was able to move the pink fushia without disturbing the roots, so it should not wilt, this is a shady spot, which I can see from the house.

As well as the potato harvest, most of my greenhouse tomatoes went red, we had enough for hubby to make more tomato and red pepper soup in his soup maker, enough for 4 meals. I am thinning sweet baby carrots from a big tub, enough each time for a meal for both of us. 

I am really pleased with my homemade leaf mulch, so far I have used half, one dustbin is now empty, I've already starting putting leaves in for next year. To have both veg beds full again for winter growth is great, I have cauliflower, winter cabbage and sprouting broccoli which will produce first, the rest will be ready for harvest in the spring. My neighbour has given me some straw from her chicken run including poo for my composter, for now it's in a dustbin bag and stored in an black bin, I will leave for a few weeks before adding into my compost bins.

This week has been perfect weather for gardening, sunny days, warm enough not to require a coat, I did water the veg beds, after adding onions and brassicas, I'm not expecting to have to water anywhere again, even without any rain in the forecaste for the coming week, the ground is no longer dry. I have spent up to two hours most days outside, just sorting picking up leaves and any small task which should be done, it does feel more like September than October.